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Unfortunately, all of my recorded programs were wiped clean and my favorites list no longer works (I had to re-program it). Also, my to do list and my series manager was wiped out.

Anyone have the same problems?

I also have a major issue. My HR34 received the update yesterday (1/9/13) at about 11am. The box was turned on for the first time since the update that evening, and I initially noticed no changes. A few hours later (without having turned off the box) the guide changed from using the green/red buttons for moving +/- 12 hours to now using the fast forward/rewind buttons. I later noticed I was unable change between crop and pillar box aspect ratios on SD channels (something I do regularly). Then yet another problem occurred where the picture would be in HD but all the on screen GUI (guide, info, progress bar) would be pixelated in what I presume is SD. So I went to the menu and selected restart receiver.

The HR34 restarts by going through the receiver self-check, then shows "Step 1 of 2: Checking Satellite Settings - Almost Done." But instead of continuing to step 2 it will stay frozen on that screen for over 10 minutes until the box resets itself to start all that over again.

The HR34 has subsequently been reset both with the red reset button and by being unplugged. I have also had the box reinstall the 0x05FD software and even ran the guided tests in "Diagnostics Mode" (with no issues). It still freezes on the "Checking Satellite Settings" dialogue.

I called customer service (and spoke with a technical supervisor) and they didn't know what to do other than what I had already done. They were not aware of anyone else having this issue as of yet. I will be getting a new HR34 - but I'm still very unhappy about losing all of my recorded programs and settings. Hopefully this is a one off issue and will not affect my new HR34 or anyone else.

Not that I'm any help, but that is completely bizarre, especially the buttons changing in the guide like that. This build did change that, but you should have seen that change immediately after it booted, not several hours after.

The only thing I can think of is the hard drive may of been dying and this was the last straw. Really not sure.

Probably true. We sometimes see reports like this after new software updates because the DVR runs a disk diagnostic as part of the software install process. I trust that DirecTV is sending you a replacement?

I also have a major issue. My HR34 received the update yesterday (1/9/13) at about 11am. The box was turned on for the first time since the update that evening, and I initially noticed no changes. A few hours later (without having turned off the box) the guide changed from using the green/red buttons for moving +/- 12 hours to now using the fast forward/rewind buttons. I later noticed I was unable change between crop and pillar box aspect ratios on SD channels (something I do regularly). Then yet another problem occurred where the picture would be in HD but all the on screen GUI (guide, info, progress bar) would be pixelated in what I presume is SD. So I went to the menu and selected restart receiver.

The HR34 restarts by going through the receiver self-check, then shows "Step 1 of 2: Checking Satellite Settings - Almost Done." But instead of continuing to step 2 it will stay frozen on that screen for over 10 minutes until the box resets itself to start all that over again.

The HR34 has subsequently been reset both with the red reset button and by being unplugged. I have also had the box reinstall the 0x05FD software and even ran the guided tests in "Diagnostics Mode" (with no issues). It still freezes on the "Checking Satellite Settings" dialogue.

I called customer service (and spoke with a technical supervisor) and they didn't know what to do other than what I had already done. They were not aware of anyone else having this issue as of yet. I will be getting a new HR34 - but I'm still very unhappy about losing all of my recorded programs and settings. Hopefully this is a one off issue and will not affect my new HR34 or anyone else.

I would really appreciate any thoughts/ideas.

The update actually fried my access card. After several calls, they are sending me a new one "Invalid access card" is what is noted and I cannot use the HR34 until the new card arrives. They said it is a "known issue" from the latest firmware update for some of the receivers (how comforting ) ..

Probably true. We sometimes see reports like this after new software updates because the DVR runs a disk diagnostic as part of the software install process. I trust that DirecTV is sending you a replacement?

I was thinking it was the hard drive as well. However, I have run every single diagnostic test (including the surface test) provided in the HR34's diagnostics mode and everything comes back clean. I guess it could still be the hard drive, though.

D*TV is aware that 0x05FD broke several HR-34 receivers and the engineers are going to push out an update by this upcoming weekend.

Or so I'm told

I spoke the the person in DIRECTV engineering who is in charge of updates for this box and what you were told is CATEGORICALLY UNTRUE. Sadly this is a common lie told by CSRs to get people off the phone.

Opinions expressed by me are my own and do not necessarily reflect
those of DBSTalk.com, DIRECTV, DISH, The Signal Group, or any other company.

I spoke the the person in DIRECTV engineering who is in charge of updates for this box and what you were told is CATEGORICALLY UNTRUE. Sadly this is a common lie told by CSRs to get people off the phone.

You wouldn't think this would be correct assuming the Genie's are the same hardware platform and everyone got the identical firmware. Either they would all work or all be bricked unless there was a glitch in download.

You wouldn't think this would be correct assuming the Genie's are the same hardware platform and everyone got the identical firmware. Either they would all work or all be bricked unless there was a glitch in download.

I spoke the the person in DIRECTV engineering who is in charge of updates for this box and what you were told is CATEGORICALLY UNTRUE. Sadly this is a common lie told by CSRs to get people off the phone.

I have been told by CSRs, including people from Ellen Filipiak's office, that the only way they can communicate with people in engineering is by e-mail. Since you are able to talk to the engineers, I am wondering if what I had been told was also a lie.

I have been told by CSRs, including people from Ellen Filipiak's office, that the only way they can communicate with people in engineering is by e-mail. Since you are able to talk to the engineers, I am wondering if what I had been told was also a lie.

I have been told by CSRs, including people from Ellen Filipiak's office, that the only way they can communicate with people in engineering is by e-mail. Since you are able to talk to the engineers, I am wondering if what I had been told was also a lie.

What Ms. Filipiak is telling you is not a lie, and neither is what I am telling you. It's simply a matter of clarification.

I can say with categorical certainty that Ms. Filipiak has, at least once, spoken with an engineer. I know, because I was speaking with the same engineer at the same time on a national conference call. And I can further tell you that I spoke person-to-person with a DIRECTV engineer, in fact several of them, in the last week. I am not telling you these things to blow my own horn. I'm telling you these things to clarify what was told to you previously.

DIRECTV's policy (as I understand it) is that important directives are transmitted by e-mail whenever practicable. That is what Ms. Filipiak's office meant. And, I will add, whenever possible I communicate electronically with the engineers as well, because I don't want to waste their busy days.

All that said, people do talk face-to-face sometimes. It does happen.

Opinions expressed by me are my own and do not necessarily reflect
those of DBSTalk.com, DIRECTV, DISH, The Signal Group, or any other company.

but I'm still very unhappy about losing all of my recorded programs and settings. Hopefully this is a one off issue and will not affect my new HR34 or anyone else

This is why cloud stuff will eventually win out. We'll just pay to watch the things we want and pull them down. Multichannel providers will be relegated to live sports, news, etc.

It is ridiculous that:

a) I bought their hardware They installed the software, not mec) I lose programming that I paid for

This is not a sustainable model. At the very least, these boxes need to include cloud video watching (on demand) in HD for all shows so if there is an issue, one can go watch the program on demand.

On top of this, settings, etc, should be backed up to DirecTVs servers, so if I need to get a new box, those settings can be downloaded (and cleaned by their servers) and re-installed so I basically don't know that anything happened.

As I posted in another thread, Directv really is aware that some of the latest software pushes have gotten stuck in the HR34, The fix is to do a red button reset and when you see some activity on the progress bar to press and hold the red button again for a few seconds. The HR34 will do a double reset and cough up the stuck software upgrade.

As I posted in another thread, Directv really is aware that some of the latest software pushes have gotten stuck in the HR34, The fix is to do a red button reset and when you see some activity on the progress bar to press and hold the red button again for a few seconds. The HR34 will do a double reset and cough up the stuck software upgrade.

Nope, does not work. There are no progress bars for one (ever), and even forcing a new 5fd4 did not fix it. I tried the double reset as well, nothing happened.

With everyone complaining about HDMI modes being reset to 480p, and with all of the HDMI re-syncs happening during boot, I posited that this was a HDMI sync bug.

So I unplugged the HR-34, unplugged HDMI, and plugged the DVR back in. I waited 30 mins, plugged in the HDMI and I am back in business!

I'll notify DirecTV support.

UPDATE: I received the new HR34, hooked everything up, and started watching TV. It was running software from Nov. 2011 (I believe), but otherwise it was fine. After watching for a few hours I turned the box off and then back on. It started a software update which to my surprise froze in the exact same spot as my old box! I realized there was nothing wrong with my old box after all except this new update.

A bit of troubleshooting revealed the update would continue straight through without freezing if I kept the HDMI cable unplugged during the process. I did that on both the new box, and then the old box. As long as the HDMI was unplugged they would complete the update and I could subsequently plug the HDMI back in and everything would work normally.

I have never had any sort of authentication issues with premium channels nor other channels in general, and have never had an HDMI issue with any other update in the 1 year I've had the box. Something specific to the 0x05FD update was the issue.

I returned the new HR34 and kept the old one with all my recordings/settings still on it (having to call in and switch activation back to the old box). Overall this whole ordeal was a big hassle for me (with DirecTV being courteous but no help at all)... leaving me to figure it all out myself. How nice it must be for DirecTV to send out a buggy update and leave it up to the customer to figure out.